Greetings dear friends! I have often heard it said that the more you enter into the passion of Jesus during Lent and Holy Week – seeking to remember not just the celebration of the parade on Palm Sunday, but to sink into the fear, isolation, betrayal and grief that Christ endured, the better your celebration of the victory on Easter Sunday is in contrast. Well, guess what my friends, by those standards, we are ALL going to have a bang up Easter celebration this year!
With all of the changes that we have had in the past few weeks and that seem to need to stay in place for a while longer, I’d like to take some time to remember a few things.
1) You are still a beloved Child of God! Nothing changes that and perhaps now, more than ever, we need to take time each day to bask in God’s love for us! Thankfully, the sun is out for longer each day to warm us up physically, emotionally and spiritually.
2) God continues to call you to grow on your journey. God invites us each day to walk more closely in love. Though I know that for many of us this time at home can be challenging, I also encourage you to continue to look for opportunities for growth. If you need help thinking of things to do to enhance your spiritual life, please reach out to me – I’d love to help!
3) We are still the body of Christ in this world. Though we are physically distant, we can reach out in many ways. We can still lift people up in prayer. We can call people on the phone (or Zoom, or Facetime, or Google Hangouts, etc.). We can write cards and notes to people. I’m sure you have more ideas even still of how to demonstrate love and compassion.
4) We will still continue to hold services. I am working with my tech crew (my 16 year old) to create live-streaming opportunities each Sunday at 10:00 am on Facebook. We now have Phyllis sending the songs, so we can all enjoy her amazing music. The video is being posted on the Asbury website (asburyduluth.org – click the “Worship Time” picture, and then the Sunday that you wish to see) to view at any time. We are working on a way for non Facebook users to be able to livestream with us as well (we’ll send out an email). And if you don’t have internet access or a computer, please call the church office and we’ll set up a buddy for you to call so that you can hear the service over the phone if you would like! We WILL have an online Maundy Thursday service at 6:30 pm and an online Good Friday service at 7:00 pm.
5) As Bishop Ough eloquently said, Easter has not been cancelled! (See page 4 of this newsletter). Every week we celebrate the fact that the tomb is empty and Jesus has risen from the dead (Alleluia!). That fact has not and will not change. We still worship and follow a living God who is walking with us.
So take heart friends! If you feel alone or afraid, angry or sad, reach out to me (828-263-2035, kcornell@wnccumc.net) or another friend. As the statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada (UMH 883) says “We are not alone, we live in God’s world. / In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God. Amen.”
Blessings and Peace,
Pastor Katherine